A tree falling on a homeowner’s roof, shed, detached garage or other outbuildings could be a total nightmare. Storm season is upon us; it’s a great time to prepare for unexpected storm-related happening such as fallen trees and tree property damage.
Shortly after it happens, and you have assured everyone is safe, you may say: “Okay, now what? What do I do next?”
Here is an overview of what to do when a tree falls on your house.
Clear The Area
The first thing you should do after a tree falls on your property structure is to keep people away from it. Rope off the area or place cones to prevent anyone from injuring themselves.
Check For Fallen Power Lines
One tree can do a lot of damage, especially to power lines. Before making any attempt to assess the damage, confirm there are NO downed power lines in the area. If there are, alert your power company immediately and stay as far away from the area and lines as you can; electricity can travel through objects, especially when they are wet.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Explain the incident to your adjuster. The adjuster will contact a vetted and pre-approved in-network arborist to quickly respond to your emergency tree claim. In most cases, you can get a head start by calling the vendor yourself.
Contact The Right Emergency Professionals
Some may be tempted to take on the work of an arborist themselves. This is not a wise idea. Because you’ve chosen an in-network vendor, your insurance adjuster can work with you to determine your policy’s coverage of the incident. Also, a professional arborist will be able to get the emergency job done much faster – and safer – than you or any non-professional.
Tip: How to choose the right tree care company for your tree claim.
Hopefully, knowing what to do if a tree falls on your house is something you will never have to put to use. However, this serious disaster does happen, and the likelihood increases during a high-wind storm or storm season.
Need to Prepare Your Home for Storm Season? There are a couple of things you can do to secure your home and yard, before the storm rolls in.
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